


Shattered Prison

by Kosho



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Dalish Elven Culture and Customs, Elven Gods, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Vessels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-06 13:34:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18852106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kosho/pseuds/Kosho
Summary: Corypheus is gone, Solas is missing, the Inquisitor is hearing things, and the last Mage anyone expected to see has just shown up on her doorstep. Something big is happening...





	1. Chapter 1

_ Ashara kneaded her brow, Corypheus was finally taken care of. Everything had seemed to be falling into place finally. A successful relationship, the first in her life, with someone she genuinely loved. Her great evil vanquished, and the Breach no longer a threat, finally dealt with properly at last. Yes, everything seemed to be going well, save for her missing companion. In the aftermath of the battle, Solas had somehow stolen away without a word, without anyone seeing him. The only thing left behind; one last mural in his room. The last chapter of his visual tribute to her and her deeds. _

 

“We’ll find him.” Leliana said. 

 

Ashara shook her head slowly. A hint of a smile on her face, sadness wrapped with knowledge. “You won’t.” 

 

“How could you know that? I know his loss is hard for you, but we tracked Corypheus, how hard can he be to find compares to that?” She wondered. 

 

She folded her arms behind her back, slowly pacing the room, distracting herself in the detailed pieces on the wall. Not that she could ever properly explain it, but it was a feeling she had, echoing in her mind in thoughts she didn’t recall creating, much like the Well of Sorrows. He hadn’t wanted it, and initially, she meant to take it, until that same strange feeling, those same kind of thoughts warned her away from doing just that. In the end, she’d practically insisted on Morrigan taking it, better her than to fight the sensation burning and twisting in her gut. 

 

“I know it. He doesn’t wish to be found. Though I know not why.” She explained. “Just a feeling.” 

 

“Still. I’ll put my best on it. Surely something will turn up.” Leliana said. Putting a hand on her shoulder, she smiled kindly. “I have to leave for Orlais soon. I’ll work as long as I’m able, even after I leave. Will you see me off?” 

 

Laughing quietly, she put a hand over hers, nodding slowly. “You know I hate Val Royeaux. For you, however, I’ll make an exception. I can’t stay long. Still plenty of rifts, and i'm certain Cullen would hate to try and handle this place without me. Between him and Josephine, I’m confident it won’t explode this time, but tempting fate and all that.” 

 

“Well, I won’t ask you to stay too long, but you should have a break. You’ve been going non-stop since this began.” She said. 

 

Ashara nodded again, kneading her brow again like it hurt. “If you’ll excuse me. I have a terrible headache, I think I’m going to take the opportunity to lay down a while…” 

 

“Of course. Get some rest.” Leliana said. “I’ll go take care of this, dispatch some scouts to see if there are any clues to be found.” 

 

Ashara nodded only once, concerned doing so again might make the ache much worse. From this room to hers was a relatively short distance, only a minute or two before she made it to the comfort of the large, ornate bed, gingerly settling in. 

 

_ You need to be rid of this mark… _

 

She stared up at the canopy, curling up then. She didn’t recall thinking that either. Perhaps she really did need a break. The stress of it all must have finally taken its toll. Perhaps the truth of it was simply that she was losing her mind. Then again, even as challenging as it was for most to understand Cole, he hadn’t indicated anything like that at least. Then again, it wasn’t like she’d ever asked him to check for her. 

 

“Not feeling well?” Cullen asked, rounding the top of the stairs. “I noticed you heading this way and thought I’d see if you needed anything…” 

 

She hadn’t expected to hear him just then, jolting visibly, immediately regretting it if only for the look of concern on his face. 

 

“A headache. I’ll be alright.” She assured him. 

 

“Are you certain? You’ve seemed a little off since the Arbor Wilds...perhaps you’re pushing it too hard.” He suggested. 

 

He took a seat on the edge of the bed, gently cradling her face, carefully examining her features. 

 

“I swear, if anything happens, you’ll be the first to know, there’s no need for such concern just yet.” She said, smiling. 

 

“You’ve been very good about worrying over me, and taking care of my problems, the least you can let me do is this.” He said quietly. “Now what’s going on, the truth, love.” 

 

Ashara cringed, sighing. Sometimes she hated it when he was that spot on. She looked away, staring out the balcony window. 

 

“I keep thinking thoughts that I don’t believe are mine...that...probably doesn’t make any sense.” She mumbled. 

 

“I...think I get it.” He told her. 

 

“It’s...older. Sometimes with words that feel like Elven, but aren’t anything I know. Like...maybe something from far before us...but that can’t be right. I mean… Morrigan’s mother holds Mythal. The gods don’t answer, I don’t know...I think perhaps Leliana is right, maybe I just need a break.” She trailed off. 

 

“Perhaps we could sneak away for a few days...maybe we could -“ he began. 

 

The door slammed open and Ashara flinched at the noise. Varric dashed around the corner, Hawke in tow. After Adamant, no one really knew if he intended to come back, but he had weeks later. They exchanged uneasy glances with each other, then at them like they weren’t truly sure how to break whatever news they had. 

 

“Might as well just tell me, I’m sure whatever it is isn’t nearly as bad as a mad Vint…” she sighed. 

 

“No...I recognize that look. Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?” Cullen muttered warily. 

 

“Sooo…”Hawke began, gesturing to Varric. “He writes! Wrote a book about Kirkwall…” 

 

“Yes, we’ve known this for some time…” Ashara said. 

 

“Uh… the part about Anders being dead…?” He sighed. “He uh...may have made that bit up.” 

 

“How made up are we talking here exactly? He  _ is _ at least dead, right? Maybe not like you said, but still gone?” Cullen asked. 

 

“Yeah...no…” Hawke mumbled uneasily. “Sort of made that up so Sebastian didn’t feel the need to possibly start a war in Kirkwall looking for him…” 

 

“Maker’s breath, Hawke…” Cullen groaned. “Varric, seriously?” 

 

Varric shrugged. “I thought it was for the best. At the time anyway, but even I didn’t expect this.” 

 

“Sweet Creators, take me now, I think I know exactly where this is going…” Ashara sighed heavily. 

 

“He’s here. Now. Outside.” Varric said finally. 

 

“And just like that, my headache is  _ that _ much worse.” Ashara muttered. 

 

“He...wants to see you. Specifically you.” Hawke said. 

 

“Why me? I don’t even know the guy!” She protested. 

 

“Wouldn’t say.” Varric admitted. 

 

“I’ll go with you. I’ve seen firsthand what happened. I don’t trust him not to hurt you…” Cullen told her. 

 

“I’ve just defeated Corypheus. Even at his best, I’d wager I’m still in peak condition. If he tries anything, I’ll show him what it means to be ‘First’” she said, crawling out of bed. Cracking her knuckles, she added. “If he’s here to throw down, he came to lose.” 

 

Cullen followed at her back, waving for Hawke and Varric to lead the way. Part of her wondered just how he made it past the guards and into the keep without anyone but these two recognizing him. It had been years, perhaps he’d simply changed that much. Then again, most here probably didn’t even know what he looked like in the first place. 

 

Just down the stairs, a hooded figure waited, though he lowered it when he saw them. Clean shaven, dirty blonde hair cascading down his chest. Not at all like she’d imagined he would look based on the book. In fact, not at all dressed like it either. He looked not much out of place like the refugees in the Hinterlands, in fact. Nothing at all that indicated a Mage, nothing that shouted Warden, former or otherwise.., and yet, to her, he felt entirely familiar, like she knew something about him, something other than lines in a book. But that wasn’t possible. She was certain this was the first time she’d ever seen him…

 

“Lady Inquisitor Lavellan? A pleasure. We need to talk, but not here.” He said by way of greeting. He looked next to her, at the man currently moving to block him from getting closer to her. “Cullen. Nice to see you too.” 

 

“The feeling is far from mutual.” He told him. 

 

“Figured as much. I’m not here to harm her. As you can see I’m unarmed.” He said. 

 

“Mages are  _ never  _ unarmed.” He reminded him. 

 

“Yet the woman you protect is  _ also _ a Mage, no different than I.” He said. 

 

“The magic is where the similarities end. You may have heard, she saved the world, as I recall you had a hand in this war.” He reminded him. 

 

“ _ Inside. Please _ .” He said insistently. “I would not have risked my life coming here were it not  _ important _ .” 

 

“I’d believe that, actually. War room, Josephine is out with Leliana anyway, should be empty.” Ashara said, waving him in. 

 

“For your sake, Blondie, I hope this actually is important.” Varric muttered. 

 

“It is. I came to warn her, though perhaps I think she needs my help, now that I’ve seen her.” He sighed. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Ashara sunk down into a chair by the table, kicking her feet up on one of the empty corners, free of books, markers and reports, taking a few moments to adjust her wrappings and fiddle with the clasps on her robes, distracting herself with aligning them correctly. Less of a desire to look presentable and more uncertainty of how to deal with her  _ very _ unexpected guest and what he could possibly want with her specifically. 

 

Cullen leaned against the table imposingly, standing at her side, ever eager to protect her from anything she might not see coming. Varric took a seat between Cullen and Anders, always somehow ending up there by virtue of Hawke’s probably misplaced desire to save him from himself. Hawke poured himself a drink, glancing around the room before grabbing a few more cups, filling them and placing them in front of everyone before taking a seat on the edge of the table. Anders stayed standing, eyes fixed on her. 

 

_ He means us no harm. He intends to inform us, but by now you surely must have figured it out. The clues have been there all along. _

 

Ashara pinches the bridge of her nose with a groan, opting to take a drink before she said anything. 

 

“My impression seems to be that you have news you believe I need to know. Yet I’m thinking if I look over everything, I should already know it.” She said finally. 

 

He rummaged in a pack tucked under his cloak, taking out a thick book, letting it drop a short distance to the table with a heavy thump. She sat up, needing only a moment to look at the cover. Her brows lowered curiously, looking to him more seriously now. 

 

“I  _ am  _ Dalish. I  _ do _ know my own gods. What could this possibly tell me that I don’t already know?” She asked. 

 

He sighed, opening the book to what seemed to most like lost scribbles, tapping  it suggestively like that was her answer. 

 

“I’m human, completely. I shouldn’t be able to read this, but I can. How would you guess to explain that?” He questioned. 

 

“Perhaps you’ve just been lucky enough to find lost bits of my people’s lost lore.” She suggested. 

 

“The spirit inside me. I met him in Amaranthine. At the time I thought it was Justice, as it claimed, that it was my mind, my actions that twisted it to vengeance…” he explained. “I’ve got no Dalish friends. Hawke’s... _ friend _ and I never particularly saw eye to eye. She would not have taught me to read this even if she could. Don’t you get it?” 

 

Ashara grabbed the book up and looked it over. Of course  _ she _ could read it, it was one think Keepers passed on to their First in addition to certain magic and other things passed down. Someone had to be ready to teach and lead when their mentor was gone. 

 

“Mythal is the embodiment of Justice. I’ve met her, she’s in a human vessel…if you’re implying the same...but wait, you said it was twisted inside you, to  _ vengeance.”  _ She hummed. “Wait...no...what if instead, it was never Justice to begin with, what if it was always an aspect of vengeance...then...Elgar’nan…” 

 

Cullen looked at him for a time, then to her. “Your people have a god of vengeance?” 

 

“Elgar’nan, the father. He’s the counterpart to Mythal, the mother and our goddess of Justice. They two different people but really just two sides of the same coin…” she explained. 

 

“Then maybe the chantry had less to do with Anders and more to do with that?” Hawke suggested. 

 

“No, it was equally me and him…” Anders admitted. “They weren’t doing anything to fix the situation, didn’t care enough to stop it. Elthina was never going to stand up to Meredith and you saw exactly how far Orsino went, he turned out to be no better. But the others? They hadn’t turned to blood magic, they were innocent…” 

 

“Why should this matter to me? If the Creators walk in flesh now, that’s great, but what am I expected to do about it?” She asked. 

 

“What happened at the Temple…” Varric said. “You said you didn’t use the Well because something stopped you, didn’t you?” 

 

“Certainly not Mythal. And he was nowhere near there so it wouldn’t have been him.” She shrugged. 

 

“Have you never wondered? Never heard something that made you question if something was wrong with you? That the voice in your mind is saying things you don’t recall thinking?” Anders asked. 

 

Ashara tried not to react to that, but she gripped her cup nervously, sneaking a glance at Cullen, only to find him looking at her as well. 

 

“So you  _ have _ ” he confirmed. “As you said, you  _ are _ Dalish. You know your own pantheon better than I. Use that world-famous brain of yours and tell me what you really think now…”

 

Ashara closed her eyes, tipping her head back slowly. Mythal and Elgar’nan were off the board, it was unlikely Fen’Harel would ever want his presence known to the world, that left only a few options, if true. She wasn’t particularly handy when it came to crafting, June wasn’t truly a fitting option, nor was she necessarily proficient in dealing death, her kills had been largely a group effort, so Falon’Din made little sense. Truly trying to make this place more of a home for everyone was a product of Cullen, Josephine and Leliana working so quickly, and she was no great healer, so Sylaise too seemed unlikely. Hunting was a nightmare, and she’d had to learn what she knew of tending to the mounts from Dennet. But that only left…

 

She touched her face curiously. It somehow slipped her mind just how she came to the conclusion this was the one she wanted, her brother had chosen Falon’Din, because, he said, guiding those to the afterlife sounded like a noble thing. Hers though? She couldn’t quite recall what led her to this one. 

 

“Dirthamen...the Keeper of Secrets, they call him. I mean...I guess it makes sense, but why me? I’m just a Mage, nothing particularly useful about me other than this mark… I mean…” she stopped, thinking about it a little more. There had been times she ‘thought’ things that she couldn’t possibly know. And the Well, Perhaps she couldn’t use it because she was  _ already _ bound to a god…”Actually...yeah, that makes sense…” 

 

“Now you see why I needed to find you. Three of your Creators have surfaced. As I recall, this is against your own lore, why now would they make themselves known? I feel as though this is a sign. Something big, perhaps something  _ terrible  _ is going to happen. I can’t be sure, but there may be others. It may be prudent to seek them out and stick together. Whatever happens, it could be dangerous.” Anders explained. 

 

Ashara finished her drink, sighing heavily. “I  _ may _ know where another is.” 

 

“Who might that be?” Varric asked. 

 

“My brother. Perhaps not exactly coincidentally, my  _ twin _ brother. I don’t know for sure, but if I’ve got Dirthamen, our own lore suggests he  _ may _ be Falon’Din after all. The stories say they were brothers, it would make a strange sort of sense for it to be true…” she snorted. 

 

“And where might we find him?” Anders asked. 

 

“In the Hinterlands, last I knew. My clan found an area that seemed safe enough and moved some months ago. He opted to stay rather than seek me out, so now it seems I have to find him.” She said. 

 


End file.
